Hi I have been on pred for around 2 years now and for most of that I have been on 18mg a day . I started on 30mg and reduced to 17 but then my mg started to get worse again so used it to 18 mg and have been ok for the most part . My concern is my bones . I have already had the menapose and was also anorexic for many years . I know that the risk are higher the longer you take pred . Would 2 years been seen as a high risk ? . I would be very grateful for any advice given .

I have a couple of friends who were on high doses of pred for GCA - neither had any change in bone density at all and one of them wasn't even taking the supposedly mandatory calcium and vit D supplements. The other had had a hysterectomy in her 30s so had been on HRT every since so isn't really typical. I'd been on pred at above 10mg (well above for quite a bit of the time) for nearly 4 years between dexascans and there was no change. It very much depends on the person and a recent article in the BMJ claims the supplements don't actually make much difference to fracture risk - there is no real proof about the relationship between bone density and fracture risk, people with low bone density don't fracture, people with normal bone density do.

It is felt by some experts that the greatest change in bone density occurs in the first 3 months of taking steroids. Officially, if you are taking steroids you are classed as at higher risk so should have been sent for a dexascan at the start to have a baseline since without doing a scan then you can't say whether any low bone density that does appear is due to being you and your history or to the pred itself.

A dexascan is the best assessment of bone density. There are a lot of things to pay attention to to avoid the risk of fractures - most of them free and free from side effects!

I have taken the steriod for about 3 and half years and have had a couple of bone density scans which if taking steriods for a long time you should be having. On my last scan they have told me I have quite bad damage to certain parts of my spine so I dread to think what my bones are like, this makes it important take you have a scan and take a good supplement. Good luck xx natalya

Vit D & calcium supplements are good but also include Vit K2 which will ensure the calcium is deposited into your bones and not your arteries. Here in Australia the calcium supplements include K2. Also as they are both fat soluable vitamins they need to be taken with some good fats in order to be absorbed, otherwise it will not be effective. A bone scan is good idea as well as testing for diabetes. Good luck & take care.

Natty, a Japanese delicacy which has highest amount but is really acquired taste! Eggs. I take a supplement K2 180mcg & D3 1000iu every morning after brekky. I don't take calcium supplement now, try to get that from food. I am not on any medications now but have done the high dose prednisone "thing". Got a cataract out of it! Watch those bones & blood sugar..